The Gambel’s quail’s depiction often adorns houses and businesses in the Southwest. This quail is perhaps the most beloved representation of Arizona and the life to be found in her deserts. Often traveling by foot and low to the ground, they are commonly found in groups or “coveys”. Keep this word in your vocabulary for your hunt because it will come up a lot! Gambel’s habitat can vary significantly from brushy, mesquite filled areas to grasslands with more spread out foliage but they are found throughout the Sonoran Desert. The mesquite tree is one of their main food sources. Read more at AZ Game & Fish
A beautiful bird of a grayish color, the Scaled or Blue Quail’s appearance seems to resemble the look of having scales. They tend to prefer grassland and can generally be found in terrain occupied by mesquite and cholla cactus and usually near a water source. They are similar to Gambel’s in that they like to run to escape but will also flush if pushed. Read more at AZ Game & Fish
The gold standard for anyone hunting with dogs. The Mearns’ quail lives at a higher elevation and prefer oak filled areas with higher grasses, sometimes on the sides of hills or mountains. They have long claws for digging roots and are most commonly found on the ground. This is perhaps Arizona’s best game bird due to the fact that it holds so tightly and really needs a dog to point the covey. Read more at AZ Game & Fish
2024 quail hunting guide
